Beginning Monday, HISD students have a two-week holiday from school – but don’t let it be a two-week holiday from learning. Below are some tips from HISD’s Family and Community Engagement Department to keep your child’s mind active over the break and ready to start school again in 2014.

Read for fun!

Now that kids have a break from school, they have time to catch up on all the stories they want to read. Take a trip to the library and let kids pick out books they find interesting. Whether a comic book or fairy tale, reading will encourage vocabulary growth and stimulate imagination.

Help with online shopping.

Help your child develop their computer and research skills by asking them to pick out gifts online for relatives and friends. Give them a website, a price range, and a type of gift and let them do the work!

Plan the grocery shopping list.

Ask your child to determine what food items the family needs, write out a list, and decide how much of each item to buy.

Give cooking lessons.

Measuring flour, counting eggs, and doubling recipe quantities requires your child to flex their math muscles. Invite them into the kitchen to help you measure out your meals.

Play car ride games.

On a long drive? Pass the time by counting the number of red cars you see, pointing out license plates from other states, or spotting letters of the alphabet on cars that drive by.

Interview older relatives.

Kids can learn about their family history and holiday traditions by interviewing their grandparents, uncles, and aunts. Ask them to write out a few questions and pretend to be a news reporter.

Write thank-you notes.

Teach kids to demonstrate appreciation for everything they have received, and let them practice their spelling and handwriting, too!

Have a board game night.

Board and card games reinforce counting, reading, and drawing skills, and are a great way to spend time together as a family.

Get enough sleep.

Make sure kids keep up with their bedtime routine so that they are well-rested when they return to school.